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Rangers Announce Minor League Award-Winners for August/September

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Arlington, Texas - The Texas Rangers announced today the club's minor league award winners for August/September. Right-hander Nick Martinez was named Pitcher of the Month, third baseman Joey Gallo was named Player of the Month, third baseman Drew Robinson was named Defender of the Month, and right-hander Sam Wolff was named Reliever of the Month.

Martinez, who turned 23 on August 5, combined to go 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA (4 ER/38.0 IP) and 29 strikeouts against 8 walks over his final 6 games/5 starts with High-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco. The right-hander opened the month in Myrtle Beach and tossed 6.0 shutout innings on August 5 vs. Frederick before his first promotion to Double-A Frisco on August 6. The Fordham University product went at least 6.0 innings and allowed one earned run-or-less in each of his 5 appearances with the 'Riders, including 7.0 no-hit innings in relief on August 27 vs. Corpus Christi. Texas League batters hit just .107 (11-103) in the right-hander's first appearance in the league. Overall, Martinez went 12-7 with a 2.50 ERA (42 ER/151.1 IP) in 27 games/25 starts with Myrtle Beach and Frisco. The Florida native was selected in the 18th round of the 2011 June draft and signed by Jay Heafner.

Gallo, 19, batted .321 (26-81) with 3 doubles, 3 triples, 12 home runs, 21 RBI, 21 runs scored, 11 walks, and 4 stolen bases over his final 23 games of the season with the Crawdads. Gallo also completed a rehab assignment with the AZL Rangers to start August, hitting .368 (7-19) with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 10 RBI over 5 games. The left-handed batter returned from the disabled list on August 8 and homered in 4 of 6 and 8 of his final 21 games with Hickory. Gallo also logged his second 3-home run effort of the season on August 30 vs. Delmarva. His 12 home runs overall in August raised his season total to 40 between Hickory and the AZL Rangers and earned him the Joe Bauman Award as the top home run hitter in the minor leagues. Gallo finished the season as the first teenager with 40+ home runs since Dick Simpson hit 42 home runs as 18-year-old with the Class C San Jose Bees in the California League in 1962 and one home run shy of the Rangers farm record of 41 by AAA Spokane's Tom Robson in 1974. Overall, the Nevada native batted .245 (96-392) with 19 doubles, 5 triples, 38 home runs, 78 RBI 82 runs scored, and 48 walks in 106 games with Hickory. Gallo was selected in the supplemental first round (39th overall) out of Bishop Gorman High School in the 2012 June draft and signed by Todd Guggiana.

Robinson, 21, started 26 games at third base for High-A Myrtle Beach in August and September. The Nevada native committed just 5 errors during that stretch to finish the season rated statistically as the top defensive third baseman in the Carolina League with a .929 fielding percentage in 115 games. At the plate, Robinson raised his batting average for a 4th consecutive month, batting .306 (34-111) over his final 29 games. Overall, Robinson batted .257 (112-436) with 26 doubles, 7 triples, 8 home runs, 70 RBI, 62 runs scored, and 72 walks. He ranked among the CL leaders in walks (3rd) and OBP (9th, .369). He was selected in the 4th round of the 2010 June draft and signed by Todd Guggiana.

Wolff, 22, did not allow a run and whiffed 18 batters over 10.1 innings of work in 8 relief appearances with Low-A Hickory in August. The right-hander converted all 5 save chances during the month, leading the Crawdads in saves during August. The South Dakota native was promoted to Hickory on July 23, compiling 13.2 scoreless innings with 23 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .160 average (8-50) with just one extra-base hit over 11 appearances with the Crawdads. Overall, Wolff combined to go 4-0 with a 0.60 ERA (2 ER/30.0 IP) and 44 strikeouts in 21 relief outings with Spokane and Hickory in his first professional season. He was selected in the 6th round of the 2013 June draft out of the University of New Mexico and signed by Doug Banks.